Waning Light
by Mariko Azrael
Summary: [PRTF] The battle goes badly, but they're still alive. [Katie X Trip, post series, spoilers apply, sort of sequel to 'Candlelight']


Disclaimer: Saban and Disney's, not mine

Notes: It's not really a sequel (so you don't have to worry about spoilers and can read this by itself), but this does takes place after 'Candlelight'. This takes place post-series, so spoilers in that respect apply.

--

It was the worst case scenario.

Time Force had finally gotten what was needed to bring down the crime boss. The officer in charge of the sting had wanted only people with experience on his team-- which meant Trip, who had been working in the engineering department ever since Ransik had been arrested, was back on the front lines for the first time in six months. He had been worried that he would be the weak link in the chain.

As he forced himself up, trying not to think about how the pain in his side was getting worse, he realized that he shouldn't have been worried about that. His energy would have been better spent trying to think of a way to stop the small army of men (and the illegal firearms they carried) the boss had working under him. Then maybe things wouldn't have turned out like this. Maybe he'd have some idea where Katie and Lucas were. Maybe... maybe he could... stay awake...

"There you are," a voice remarked as someone caught him before he fell. Trip shook off the fog, and saw that Lucas was with him. He was all right, and Katie was his partner, so if he was okay she had to be, too.

He leaned against Lucas. "Did we get him?"

"Yeah, he's already on his way to a holding cell. Everything else is a mess, though."

He hadn't said anything about her. "Where's Katie?"

"... We don't know yet. Trip, I've been looking for both of you, and I got everyone's who doesn't have anything broken looking for her, I promise you we will find her, but I gotta get you--"

Trip broke away, kneeling on the road, closing his eyes so he could concentrate.

"What are you doing?"

"Finding her."

"I'm not a big expert on the Xybrian telepathy thing, but I do know it's a strain on you, and you're already half dead..."

If Lucas said anything else after that, Trip didn't hear it. He was gone, floating, trying to block out the agony that seemed be everywhere, focusing on one pain... one woman, alone, unconscious...

"Five meters north of here... she's out cold..."

And then nothing.

--

"... Katie!" He bolted upright, tossing the blankets off; too desperate to wonder why the blankets were there in the first place.

"Whoa, calm down! I'm right here!" Now that his heart had stopped racing, Trip saw Katie sitting next to him. Her right hand was bandaged, there were bags under her eyes, but she was there.

Through the dimmed light of the hospital room, he could see her smile. "First off, thank you for finding me, and I love you more than anything. Second--"

Trip flinched as she thwapped him with her good hand. "Are you completely insane?! You were worse off than I was, and then you... what it had been too much for you?"

He sat up, slowly. "I'm sorry. At the time, it seemed like there was no other way. Everyone else was hurt... or worse. I didn't want the same to happen to you." Trip smiled uneasily, hoping she'd find it as amusing as he did. "Not to mention it would've been really awkward at my wedding if I had no idea where my bride was."

The glare she shot him made him regret even opening his mouth... but then she leaned down, kissing his forehead. "You're really hard to stay mad at, you know that?" Trip closed his eyes again, this time enjoying the feel of her fingers in his hair. "You ready to come home?"

"They'd let us?"

"The worst of your injuries have healed. I'll be fine once I get a good night's sleep in my bed. And since I've gotten used to having you next to me..."

"Let me just get up--"

"No, you rest some more. I'll take care of it." She was halfway through the doorway when she smiled at him one last time, turning off the light.

It was dark, but Trip wasn't worried. The light would be back soon enough.


End file.
